Sightron Big Sky 3-9x42 ($355), Elite 4200 2.5-10x42($370), Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 ($390). All are pretty close in price and all have a similar Plex reticle. Who could rank these in order of optical brightness and resoloution? How would you rank these in order of customer service? Do the new Big Sky CLIMATE CONTROL coatings work as well as Bushnells RAINGAURD? Which has the best adjustments and definate clicks you can hear and feel. Finally, which would you buy for a regular Whitetail hunting rifle?

You really would need to go to a shop and examine them each yourself to get a good idea of the optical quality. Sightron cannot be beat for CS. I have had some problems with Bushnell and Nikon customer service. I don't know if Sightrons climate control works as well as rainguard. I would rank them as you have listed them.

Doug

but you brethren are not of the flesh but of the spirit if indeed the spirit of Christ dwells within you...Romans 8

I didnt mention the Burris Signature Select because I dont see it recommended much on this forum. Also, it is longer and heavier and has a one unit power adjustment and eyebell that a lot of people dont like. Then lastly, I have read several times that their customer service is about as iffy as Nikons which they say also isnt the greatest. I was interested in The 1.5-6x40 with the TAPER PLEX . The WEAVER GRAND SLAM is a recommended scope but the company has been sold so many times that it worries me also. I like to buy scopes and give them a look over and then sell them to buy another model Im interested in so I can compare and make a decision. I live about 2 hours from anywhere that has any of the scopes I want to compare and even then they only have one or a couple of them. I figure I can buy and sell for a little bit of a loss which will equal what it would have cost me in gas and time to go look at and keep it as long as I need to test compare it to a couple of others. I have had a Kahles Cl 2-7x36 Plex and Elite 4200 3-9x4 both of which I have sold. I am now selling a 3-9x40 Conquest on this site so I can try a different scope. It is my favorite so far but I just got a 4200 Elite firefly that seems pretty nice. I will eventually get another Conquest or Kahles with a 4a reticle to try and if I like the reticle I will keep it.

I didnt mention the Burris Signature Select because I dont see it recommended much on this forum. Also, it is longer and heavier and has a one unit power adjustment and eyebell that a lot of people dont like. Then lastly, I have read several times that their customer service is about as iffy as Nikons which they say also isnt the greatest. I was interested in The 1.5-6x40 with the TAPER PLEX . The WEAVER GRAND SLAM is a recommended scope but the company has been sold so many times that it worries me also. I like to buy scopes and give them a look over and then sell them to buy another model Im interested in so I can compare and make a decision. I live about 2 hours from anywhere that has any of the scopes I want to compare and even then they only have one or a couple of them. I figure I can buy and sell for a little bit of a loss which will equal what it would have cost me in gas and time to go look at and keep it as long as I need to test compare it to a couple of others. I have had a Kahles Cl 2-7x36 Plex and Elite 4200 3-9x4 both of which I have sold. I am now selling a 3-9x40 Conquest on this site so I can try a different scope. It is my favorite so far but I just got a 4200 Elite firefly that seems pretty nice. I will eventually get another Conquest or Kahles with a 4a reticle to try and if I like the reticle I will keep it.

helo18 is a big fan of burris, he needs to come in here and give us his .02 on them. i havent dealt with a sig select but i have owned a ffII and i found it to be a nice scope.

I didnt mention the Burris Signature Select because I dont see it recommended much on this forum. Also, it is longer and heavier and has a one unit power adjustment and eyebell that a lot of people dont like. Then lastly, I have read several times that their customer service is about as iffy as Nikons which they say also isnt the greatest. I was interested in The 1.5-6x40 with the TAPER PLEX . The WEAVER GRAND SLAM is a recommended scope but the company has been sold so many times that it worries me also. I like to buy scopes and give them a look over and then sell them to buy another model Im interested in so I can compare and make a decision. I live about 2 hours from anywhere that has any of the scopes I want to compare and even then they only have one or a couple of them. I figure I can buy and sell for a little bit of a loss which will equal what it would have cost me in gas and time to go look at and keep it as long as I need to test compare it to a couple of others. I have had a Kahles Cl 2-7x36 Plex and Elite 4200 3-9x4 both of which I have sold. I am now selling a 3-9x40 Conquest on this site so I can try a different scope. It is my favorite so far but I just got a 4200 Elite firefly that seems pretty nice. I will eventually get another Conquest or Kahles with a 4a reticle to try and if I like the reticle I will keep it.

helo18 is a big fan of burris, he needs to come in here and give us his .02 on them. i havent dealt with a sig select but i have owned a ffII and i found it to be a nice scope.

I am a big Burris fan. In fact I am waiting for another one to arrive (a XTR). The Sig Sel is optically as good as the other scopes. I have a Elite 4200 and the only way the 4200 would beat the Sig Sel is with the Raingaurd.

Burris scopes are a little heavier, but that doesn't bother me. To me they seem to be a little more rugged than other scopes I have had. As to being longer, I have never had a problem mounting them. Some other scopes I have run out of room. Another feature I like is the double springs to hold the adjustments in place. Usually isn't a problem, but I have had a couple cheap scopes have that spring come apart on me.

The power adjustments is a personal prefferance. I like the simplicity of rotating the entire eyepeice. Fewer peices to mess up or break.

On to the CS. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones. I have only had to send in one scope. A black diamond. Had a flake on one of the internal lenses. I emailed them. The responded the same day, and I sent it in the next day. With shipping, I think I had the scope back in two and a half weeks, and that included having them put target knobs on it. I have also talked to them several times about different scope specs (the new XTRs stormcoat, supposed to be like the raingaurd, and about where scopes are made). They have been friendly and answered all questions in detail. More than I thought they would. I would give the CS department an A+ from my experiences.

I would recommend putting the Burris in with the others. Just my $.02

To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

I sold my 6-20x50 Big Sky to purchase a Bushnell 6500 and wish I had my Sightron back. I did pour water on both lenses to see if the weather coating really works and the water did bead up but the beads were still noticeable as little dark spots when looking through the scope. These little dark spots did not inhibit the sight picture for hunting. Hope this helps.........Doug

but you brethren are not of the flesh but of the spirit if indeed the spirit of Christ dwells within you...Romans 8

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